This invention relates to a mould, particularly a mould as used in the manufacture of a product from elastomeric material which is required to be heated. One example of such a product is a tire wherein vulcanizing rubber composition is shaped and heated in the mould.
A tire mould has conventionally needed to be strong and therefore massive to withstand pressure applied either externally or internally. This means that the mould consists of several metal components having in total a relatively large volume. As a result the total thermal capacity of the mould is correspondingly large. Thus a large quantity of heat is needed, to raise the temperature not only of the product but also of the mould to the required vulcanizing temperature. Thus, effectively, much heat energy is wasted.